FIFO’s First Food Delivery Robot Debuts in Australian Mining Sector
Sodexo Australia is piloting an autonomous delivery robot at Rio Tinto Iron Ore GudaiDarri village, bringing hot meals, snacks, drinks and essentials directly to FIFO (Fly-In-Fly-Out) workers to enhance convenience and choice.
Residents and guests at a remote mine village in Western Australia’s Pilbara region may soon be served by a new apprentice – a robot delivering food, non-alcoholic beverages and other essential items directly to their accommodation.
Ottobot, the world’s first autonomous food and beverage delivery robot deployed in a mine site village, will be trialled by Sodexo Australia at Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri village, north-east of Newman in the Pilbara.
The service is designed to deliver more convenience in a remote mining environment, allowing workers to relax in their rooms or common areas while their order comes to them. By reducing wait times for meals, as well as extending access to snacks and essential items from the retail shop, the innovation aims to bring more choice and flexibility for residents across their shifts.
Developed by global robotics company Ottonomy Inc., the robot operates fully autonomously, safely navigating premapped, geofenced routes within the village at walking speed. They are designed to give right of way to people, vehicles and other obstacles.
Village residents will be able to order snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, meals and essentials through the My Village app. The items are then loaded into the robot’s insulated compartment by Sodexo staff ready for delivery. When the robot arrives, residents receive a text message with a unique PIN code, allowing them to unlock the robot’s compartment and collect their order.
Sodexo Australia Senior Director, Tech, Supply and Services, Adrian Lorenzin said rapid advances in robotics technology was providing new opportunities to build on the resident experience at remote mining camps.
FIFO workers spend extended periods away from home and work long shifts. Sodexo’s focus is on enhancing the hospitality experience for residents so they can enjoy some of the conveniences they would have at home. That means making it as quick and easy as possible to order a snack and have it delivered straight to their accommodation
“As autonomous robotics delivery becomes more common in our cities, for example in restaurants and parcel delivery, there is great potential to use the same technology in remote mining villages, giving residents more choice and flexibility.”
The initial pilot phase is being conducted at Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri village, supported by an on-site Ottonomy team who will oversee the program. Following feedback and results, additional devices may be introduced if the trial is successful.
We have engaged with Sodexo on a global scale for the past few years, and autonomous robots like our Ottobots are uniquely suited to challenging environments such as mining. Our core technology aligns seamlessly with the vision of enabling hyperlocal deliveries, and this marks an exciting beginning for us as we enter the Australian market
The pilot project, which builds on Sodexo’s autonomous retail store launched in January 2025 at the same location, is delivered in partnership with Ottonomy and key brand partners including Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Mars, and Smiths Chips, whose products feature in the robot’s offer alongside selected village menu offerings.
About Sodexo Australia
Sodexo in Australia employs a diverse workforce of over 5,000 employees across more than 100 sites, providing services to over 25,000 Energy & Resources workers daily. Sodexo delivers a unique array of integrated services lines, including diverse Food services, as well as FM services like cleaning, aerodrome services, concierge, security, asset and building maintenance and hospitality services in the following segments: Corporate Strategic Accounts and Energy & Resources, both on and offshore.
About Sodexo
Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the leader in Food and Services, shaping better everyday experiences at every moment in life: work, heal, learn and play. The Group stands out for its independence, its founding family shareholding and its responsible business model. With its services, Sodexo meets all the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. For Sodexo, growth and social commitment go hand in hand. Our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all. Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, Bloomberg France 40, CAC SBT 1.5, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.
Key Figures
- 24.1 billion euros Fiscal 2025
consolidated revenues - 426,000 employees (as at August 31, 2025)
- #2 France-based private employer worldwide
- 43 countries (as at August 31, 2025)
- 80 million consumers served daily
- 6.5 billion euro in market capitalization (as at January 7, 2026)
About Ottonomy
Founded in late 2020 by industry experts from robotics and autonomous driving technologies, Ottonomy is a leading autonomous mobile robotics company specializing in indoor and outdoor fully autonomous operations.
The company has been listed as Top 50 companies by Robotics Business Review multiple times and also has won Sustainability annual awards. With its fleet of Ottobots, Ottonomy meets the complex challenges of modern commerce with a dual goal: to solve labor shortages for businesses and provide seamless, contactless experiences for consumers.
For Ottonomy, deep-tech innovation and practical scalability go hand in hand. Our purpose is to democratize autonomous delivery to build a hyper-local logistics network for all. Ottonomy is a recipient of the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award, the BIG Sustainability Product of the Year, and is a CES Innovation Honoree.
Contact: media@ottonomy.io, connect@ottonomy.io